心存质疑、追求证据、秉持客观--面对北极气候变化

气候变化是地球发生的重大环境事件。最近几十年来,科学家目睹了气候变化对全球环境产生的影响,得到世界各国政府的密切关注。在北极,情况也变得越来越严峻,冰雪在不断减少,而失去冰雪的北极就等于失去了灵魂。其实,在全球变暖过程中以北极变暖最为显著,这是科学界早就认识到的。尽管如此,真相仍超出人们预料:数据表明,北极地区的升温速度至少是全球平均值的2倍,这一剧烈的增暖现象被称为“北极放大效应”。

巴彦淖尔国家地质公园汉代黄河古河道与临戎古城位置的考证

黄河流域古河道的变迁对文化遗址形成的影响,是黄河文化研究的重要科学问题之一。内蒙古巴彦淖尔国家地质公园位于黄河中上游的河套盆地,公园内汉代临戎古城遗址的位置一直存在争论,确定黄河古河道与其相对位置关系是关键。通过对临戎古城遗址周边10 km范围进行网格化槽型钻取心,利用钻孔数据构建三维粒度属性模型与沉积结构模型,对隐伏的古河道位置进行了较为精准地确定;并通过钻孔岩心沉积相分析与年代学测试,对古河道的沉积结构与年代进行了验证。结果表明,临戎古城遗址西3 km处存在(2.39±0.24) ka~(1.36±0.05) Cal ka BP的黄河古河道,自南向北流经临戎城西。以此确定的黄河与朔方郡各属县治城的相对位置符合史料的记载。本研究从沉积学角度为巴彦淖尔国家地质公园临戎古城遗址位置的考证提供了地质科学依据。

基于船基图像的北极冰面融池形态研究

基于中国第12次北极科学考察期间获取的船侧倾斜拍摄海冰图像,研究了北极冰面融池大小和形态参数的空间分布及统计特征。应用自动检测算法将图像划分为水、冰、融池三种表面类别,经倾斜校正后计算每种类别的面积分数及单个融池的大小和形态。结果显示,融池的面积分数随纬度升高先增大后减小,较短的融化时间和较早的再冻结导致高纬度地区融池面积分数一直较低。融池的面积、周长和平均钳测直径随纬度升高具有相似变化规律,均为先增大后减小。不同大小融池面积的频率分布与幂律函数相吻合,对应指数均在1.4~1.8范围内,具有一定相似性。融池的分形维数随纬度升高分布较均匀,而周长与面积比值随纬度变化较大。不同纬度融池边缘凸度与圆形的对应值π相差较大,而各纬度融池圆度平均值为2.39±0.23;融池圆度和凸度与其面积成正比,周长与面积比值则与融池面积成反比,表明融池边缘随着融池面积增加而变得更长更曲折。冰面融池变化引起的平均海表反照率空间差异较大,随着纬度升高在0.24~0.67之间变化,变化率为0.10(°N)^(-1)。本文研究的融池大小和形态参数可为融池演变模拟及遥感反演算法改进提供重要观测依据和地面验证。

黄河从未经由永定河入海

黄河是中国第二长河,其形成和演化对中国地貌格局的演化和古气候变化具有重要的指示意义。19世纪以来,陆续有学者提出黄河在沿三门峡入海之前曾由河套盆地向东经由永定河入海的猜想,这一假想的河流可称为“北黄河”。这一猜想在地理学领域有较广泛的影响,然而,一直以来却鲜有证据明确证实或证伪这一猜想。本文综合新近发表的华北平原钻孔物源证据、汾渭盆地沉积和三门峡地区的地貌证据对这一猜想进行了探讨。这些证据表明,在约1.6 MaBP之前,位于永定河冲积扇及渤海湾沿岸的所有钻孔均未接收到来自黄河上游和中游的物质,表明此阶段三门峡和北黄河都未开通;而在约1.6 MaBP后,黄河上游和中游的物质开始进入渤海湾,但永定河冲积扇仍缺乏来自黄河上游和中游的物质。结合汾渭盆地三门组在约1.6 Ma快速结束并转变为黄土沉积的证据判断:黄河在约1.6 Ma以前尚未贯通,在约1.6 Ma以后经由三门峡进入华北平原东流入海,即黄河从未经由永定河入海。

北极地区热融湖塘甲烷排放特征及影响因素

北极地区显著升温导致多年冻土快速退化,进而发育形成大量热融湖塘,是温室气体排放热点。通过对1992—2023年2月北极热融湖塘甲烷(CH_(4))研究结果的整合梳理,本研究系统揭示了北极地区热融湖塘CH_(4)排放特征、热融湖塘的CH_(4)循环过程以及微生物机制。结果显示:北极地区CH_(4)年平均排放通量约为(7.78±19.60)g CH_(4)·m^(-2)·a^(-1),不同区域存在显著差异,高排放区出现在东西伯利亚和阿拉斯加地区[(23.40±26.50)g CH_(4)·m^(-2)·a^(-1);(11.00±26.40)g CH_(4)·m^(-2)·a^(-1)]。冒泡排放是北极热融湖塘CH_(4)排放的主导途径,年排放通量约为(13.80±28.60)g CH_(4)·m^(-2)·a^(-1),占比可达52.02%。湖塘沉积物类型对热融湖塘CH_(4)排放具有重要影响,叶叨码冻土区的排放为(17.90±32.90)g CH_(4)·m^(-2)·a^(-1),是非叶叨码冻土区的3.24倍。同时,泥炭地热融湖塘CH_(4)的主要排放途径及变化存在一定的不确定性,其对气温升高的响应可能略不同于其他湖泊,对气候变化具有高度敏感性。热融湖塘扩张与排水的变化趋势以及CH_(4)产生过程与氧化过程对热融湖塘的CH_(4)排放潜力同样具有重要影响。目前,北极地区热融湖塘CH_(4)排放的系观测仍然存在诸多空白,尤其缺乏多种排放途径的联合观测,对CH_(4)微生物过程认识不足。该研究能够进一步加深对北极地区热融湖塘排放特征及具体排放机制的认识,为评估该地区热融湖塘CH_(4)排放潜力及其对气候变化的影响提供科学参考。

云南省沼泽湿地资源动态变化分析

以云南省湿地资源监测数据为基础,利用动态度、相对变化率模型,系统地对2001—2021年间云南省沼泽湿地面积、空间分布特征及其影响因素进行分析。研究结果表明,2012年较2001年云南省沼泽湿地面积迅速增加,增量为2.83万hm^(2);2012—2021年间云南省沼泽湿地面积呈波动型增加趋势,增量为8366.84万hm^(2),但各沼泽湿地型的变化趋势存在差异,其中草本沼泽面积增加4309.58 hm^(2),灌丛沼泽增加1099.80 hm^(2),森林沼泽增加4179.52 hm^(2),淡水泉增加1.83 hm^(2),沼泽化草甸减少1223.89 hm^(2);空间分布方面,滇西滇西北横断山脉高原湿地区、滇中和滇东高原湖盆湿地区、滇南中山山原河流湖泊湿地区在此时期沼泽湿地面积均呈增加趋势,滇东北中山深切割河流高原沼泽草甸湿地区、滇东南岩溶山原湖泊河流湿地区以及滇西南中低山宽谷河流湖泊湿地区在此时期沼泽湿地面积均呈减少趋势,各湿地区变化趋势具有差异性。沼泽湿地资源变化原因主要与人为因素及自然因素有关。

Influence of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation and Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation on Antarctic surface air temperature during 1900 to 2015

The importance of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation(AMO)and Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation(IPO)in influencing zonally asymmetric changes in Antarctic surface air temperature(SAT)has been established.However,previous studies have primarily concentrated on examining the combined impact of the contrasting phases of the AMO and IPO,which have been dominant since the advent of satellite observations in 1979.This study utilizes long-term reanalysis data to investigate the impact of four combinations of+AMO+IPO,–AMO–IPO,+AMO–IPO,and–AMO+IPO on Antarctic SAT over the past 115 years.The+AMO phase is characterized by a spatial mean temperature amplitude of up to 0.5℃over the North Atlantic Ocean,accompanied by positive sea surface temperature(SST)anomalies in the tropical eastern Pacific and negative SST anomalies in the extratropical-mid-latitude western Pacific,which are indicative of the+IPO phase.The Antarctic SAT exhibits contrasting spatial patterns during the+AMO+IPO and+AMO–IPO periods.However,during the–AMO+IPO period,apart from the Antarctic Peninsula and the vicinity of the Weddell Sea,the entire Antarctic region experiences a warming trend.The most pronounced signal in the SAT anomalies is observed during the austral autumn,whereas the combination of–AMO and–IPO exhibits the smallest magnitude across all the combinations.The wavetrain excited by the SST anomalies associated with the AMO and IPO induces upper-level and surface atmospheric circulation anomalies,which alter the SAT anomalies.Furthermore,downward longwave radiation anomalies related to anomalous cloud cover play a crucial role.In the future,if the phases of AMO and IPO were to reverse(AMO transitioning to a negative phase and IPO transitioning to a positive phase),Antarctica could potentially face more pronounced warming and accelerated melting compared to the current observations.

前言

极区在空间环境和天文学观测研究中具有非常独特的科学价值。由于地磁场的保护作用,地球除极区外的其他大部分地区都不会受太阳风暴的直接影响;而在极区受到汇聚和近乎垂直进出的地球磁力线位形,使其成为一扇地球开向太空的窗口。太阳风能量粒子进入地球磁层后沿着磁力线沉降到南北极区电离层和中高层大气,产生一系列重要的地球物理现象,诸如极光、亚暴、电离层暴、极盖吸收及对中层大气加热和电离等。这些空间天气过程最先在极区发生,且最为强烈,然后逐步向中低纬地区传播.

Spatiotemporal variation and freeze-thaw asymmetry of Arctic sea ice in multiple dimensions during 1979 to 2020

Arctic sea ice is broadly regarded as an indicator and amplifier of global climate change.The rapid changes in Arctic sea ice have been widely concerned.However,the spatiotemporal changes in the horizontal and vertical dimensions of Arctic sea ice and its asymmetry during the melt and freeze seasons are rarely quantified simultaneously based on multiple sources of the same long time series.In this study,the spatiotemporal variation and freeze-thaw asymmetry of Arctic sea ice were investigated from both the horizontal and vertical dimensions during 1979–2020 based on remote sensing and assimilation data.The results indicated that Arctic sea ice was declining at a remarkably high rate of–5.4×10^(4) km^(2)/a in sea ice area(SIA)and–2.2 cm/a in sea ice thickness(SIT)during 1979 to 2020,and the reduction of SIA and SIT was the largest in summer and the smallest in winter.Spatially,compared with other sub-regions,SIA showed a sharper declining trend in the Barents Sea,Kara Sea,and East Siberian Sea,while SIT presented a larger downward trend in the northern Canadian Archipelago,northern Greenland,and the East Siberian Sea.Regarding to the seasonal trend of sea ice on sub-region scale,the reduction rate of SIA exhibited an apparent spatial heterogeneity among seasons,especially in summer and winter,i.e.,the sub-regions linked to the open ocean exhibited a higher decline rate in winter;however,the other sub-regions blocked by the coastlines presented a greater decline rate in summer.For SIT,the sub-regions such as the Beaufort Sea,East Siberian Sea,Chukchi Sea,Central Arctic,and Canadian Archipelago always showed a higher downward rate in all seasons.Furthermore,a striking freeze-thaw asymmetry of Arctic sea ice was also detected.Comparing sea ice changes in different dimensions,sea ice over most regions in the Arctic showed an early retreat and rapid advance in the horizontal dimension but late melting and gradual freezing in the vertical dimension.The amount of sea ice melting and freezing was disequilibrium in the Arctic during the considered period,and the rate of sea ice melting was 0.3×10^(4) km^(2)/a and 0.01 cm/a higher than that of freezing in the horizontal and vertical dimensions,respectively.Moreover,there were notable shifts in the melting and freezing of Arctic sea ice in 1997/2003 and 2000/2004,respectively,in the horizontal/vertical dimension.

The connection of phytoplankton biomass in the Marguerite Bay polynya of the western Antarctic Peninsula to the Southern Annular Mode

Antarctic coastal polynyas are biological hotspots in the Southern Ocean that support the abundance of hightrophic-level predators and are important for carbon cycling in the high-latitude oceans.In this study,we examined the interannual variation of summertime phytoplankton biomass in the Marguerite Bay polynya(MBP)in the western Antarctic Peninsula area,and linked such variability to the Southern Annular Mode(SAM)that dominated the southern hemisphere extratropical climate variability.Combining satellite data,atmosphere reanalysis products and numerical simulations,we found that the interannual variation of summer chlorophyll-a(Chl-a)concentration in the MBP is significantly and negatively correlated with the spring SAM index,and weakly correlated with the summer SAM index.The negative relation between summer Chl-a and spring SAM is due to weaker spring vertical mixing under a more positive SAM condition,which would inhibit the supply of iron from deep layers into the surface euphotic layer.The negative relation between spring mixing and spring SAM results from greater precipitation rate over the MBP region in positive SAM phase,which leads to lower salinity in the ocean surface layer.The coupled physical-biological mechanisms between SAM and phytoplankton biomass revealed in this study is important for us to predict the future variations of phytoplankton biomasses in Antarctic polynyas under climate change.

黄河下游东平湖炭屑记录的近1500年以来火演化历史

东平湖是黄河下游地区最大的蓄洪湖泊,其沉积物蕴藏着流域地质历史时期丰富的环境信息。本研究以东平湖沉积岩芯(DPK岩芯,161 cm)为研究对象,利用该岩芯的炭屑记录,并结合粒度、烧失量等古环境指标,重建了东平湖地区近1500年以来的古火演化历史,探讨了火事件与气候变化、人类活动之间的关系。研究结果表明:(1)516—1254 AD,黄河下游东平湖地区为冷干转暖湿气候,火事件较频繁,但约1000 AD之后有降低趋势;(2)1254—1922 AD,气候寒冷,旱涝交替频繁,气候变化和人类活动共同影响下导致火事件较之前明显加频加剧;(3)1922—1962 AD,气候相对暖湿,受气候变化及黄河改道影响,火事件频率显著减少且趋于稳定;(4)1962年以来,在暖干气候条件及人类活动加剧扰动的背景下,火事件明显增加,尤其是>100μm炭屑浓度急剧攀升至整个剖面的最高峰,粒度迅速粗化,表明人类活动干扰进一步加强。进一步分析认为,气候变化是促进该地区火活动的重要因素,而人类活动(如刀耕火种、毁林开荒、战争等)的加强可能是导致东平湖流域火事件频发的主因。研究结果对于未来全球变暖背景下区域森林火灾的防护与治理具有重要的科学意义,进而更好地服务于黄河流域生态保护与高质量发展国家战略。

南极普里兹湾表层沉积硅藻及其与环境因素的关系

基于中国第29次南极科学考察采集的普里兹湾及其邻近海域22个表层沉积样品数据和资料,分析研究区沉积硅藻组合面貌变化、主要硅藻属种的空间分布特点。共鉴定出硅藻29种,隶属于12个属,Fragilariopsis curta和F. kerguelensis为优势种。F. curta、F. cylindrus、F. ritscheri、F. separanda四种海冰硅藻种的相对百分比自湾内向深海区逐渐减少;近海冰种Thalassiosira antarctica和Porosira glacialis在普里兹环流中间区域相对百分比最高,并由环流中心向外递减;F. kerguelensis、Paralia sulcata和Azpeitia tabularis三种硅藻的相对百分比自湾内向深海区逐渐增加。采用典范对应分析(CCA)方法对硅藻鉴定结果和环境因素之间的关系进行研究,结果表明:典范对应分析结果与主要硅藻属种生态相符合,F. curta、F. separanda、F. cylindrus和F. ritscheri四种硅藻作为普里兹湾海区的低温指示种,指示温度较低的海洋环境;P. glacialis和T. antarctica两种硅藻作为低盐指示种,指示盐度较低的海洋环境。在此基础上分析了海水表层温度、海水表层盐度等环境因素与表层沉积硅藻的确切关系,这为后续建立硅藻-环境转换函数,在普里兹湾定量重建这些环境因素的历史变化提供了数据支持。

What induced the trend shift of mixed-layer depths in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current region in the mid-1980s?

An obvious trend shift in the annual mean and winter mixed layer depth(MLD)in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current(ACC)region was detected during the 1960–2021 period.Shallowing trends stopped in mid-1980s,followed by a period of weak trends.The MLD deepening trend difference between the two periods were mainly distributed in the western areas in the Drake Passage,the areas north to Victoria Land and Wilkes Land,and the central parts of the South Indian sector.The newly formed ocean current shear due to the meridional shift of the ACC flow axis between the two periods is the dominant driver for the MLD trends shift distributed in the western areas in the Drake Passage and the central parts of the South Indian sector.The saltier trends in the regions north to Victoria Land and Wilkes Land could be responsible for the strengthening mixing processes in this region.

大气河对南极冰盖及海冰的影响

南极冰盖与海冰对全球气候具有重要影响。大气河作为高纬度地区经向水汽输送的重要途径,其对南极冰盖与海冰的影响在近年来愈发受到重视。南极大气河通常形成于高压脊(阻塞高压)与温带气旋之间的强向极经向输送带内。低频的大气河活动为南极带来强降雪,有利于冰盖质量增加。然而,强暖湿水汽侵入同时会导致表面融化、冰架崩解和极端高温,对冰盖质量存在潜在负贡献。大气河携带极端暖湿水汽与强风通过热力与动力过程导致海冰密集度下降。目前,大气河的识别算法仍不完善,其对液态降水的直接影响、与南大洋的相互作用等仍不清楚,需要进一步明晰大气河对南极冰盖与海冰的影响机制,以准确预估未来大气河对南极冰盖物质平衡与海冰变化的作用。

Review of the Cretaceous avian diversity of Antarctica:a changing scenario for the evolution of early Neornithine birds

The worldwide record of Cretaceous Neornithes and Neornithine-like birds is both controversial and poorly understood.However,in recent years,the Antarctic continent has yielded a substantial number of Maastrichtian avian specimens,contributing significantly to our understanding of the early evolution of this group.Simultaneously,the keen interest and collaborative efforts of various paleornithologists have resulted in a wealth of knowledge,which we have thoroughly reviewed,updated,and discussed in the context of recent discoveries.

Middle Eocene chondrichthyan fauna from Antarctic Peninsula housed in the Museo de La Plata,Argentina

In recent years,the taxonomy and systematics of the cartilaginous fish taxa from the Eocene La Meseta Formation of Seymour(Marambio)Island,Antarctica have been extensively discussed in a series of papers,resulting in a complete revision of the Antarctic Eocene ichthyofauna housed in the Vertebrate Paleontology collection of the Museo de La Plata,Argentina.This collection constitutes one of the largest and taxonomically most diverse in the world,with approximately 20000 specimens,which provides a solid database used for the analysis of qualitative and quantitative chondrichthyan taxonomic composition.The information provided herein might be useful to understand the sudden decline in chondrichthyan taxonomic diversity towards the top of La Meseta Formation as well as its potential relationship with environmental changes during the Eocene.

Contributions to the knowledge of Antarctodon sobrali(Mammalia:Astrapotheria)from the Eocene of Antarctica

The Astrapotheria constitutes one of the five orders of extinct South American native ungulates,with a fossil record that also extends to the Eocene of the Antarctic Peninsula.In contrast to the abundant specimens known for litoptern Sparnotheriodontidae and metatherians,astrapotheres are represented by scant remains assigned to the endemic Antarctodon sobrali and indeterminate astrapotheres,restricted to levels 35C_(u0)and 35n of the Cucullaea I Allomember of the La Meseta Formation.The discovery of alower molar assignable to this species in the Eocene levels of Seymour(Marambio)Island,enables a revision of the diagnosis and the homologies of the dental characters used to describe this taxon.A reanalysis of its phylogenetic relationships reveals the nearly simultaneous presence of basal astrapotheres in the early Eocene of Itaboraí(Brazil),Patagonia,and West Antarctica.These taxa are characterized by lacking dental specializations usually associated with more abrasive diets like terminal forms of Uruguaytheriinae and Astrapotheriinae.Antarctodon appears to have thrived on the Antarctic continent during the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum within the paleoclimatic context of a hot-house world.Unlike present conditions in Antarctica where no terrestrial mammals inhabit,the early Eocene climate was characterized by warmer temperatures and a biologically diverse environment rich in primary producers,dominated by Nothofagus forests,encompassing both deciduous and evergreen forests,which supported a diverse assemblage of continental vertebrates.

Environmental changes affect picoplanktonic composition in Antarctic Peninsula ponds

Antarctic Peninsula is experiencing one of the largest global warming events worldwide.Shallow water bodies generated by the melting of snow in summer are numerous,and they might act as sentinels of climate change due to their rapid response and ability to integrate catchment information.Shifts in climate can influence the structure of microbial communities which dominate these freshwaters ecosystems.Here,we characterize three ponds at Cierva Point(Antarctic Peninsula)by examining their physico-chemical and morphological characteristics and we explored how different factors modify the structure of the microbial community.We studied the abundance and biomass of heterotrophic bacteria,picocyanobacteria and picoeukaryote algae during January and February of two consecutive summers(2017 and 2018).We found that ponds had different limnological characteristics,due to their location,geomorphological features and presence of the surrounding flora and fauna.Physico-chemical parameters as well as microbial community differed between ponds,months and years.In 2017,most ponds were oligo to mesotrophic states.The larger accumulated rainfall(as a result of environmental changes on the Antarctic Peninsula)during 2018,particularly in February,causes nutrient runoff into water bodies.This affects those ponds with the highest seabird circulation,such as gentoo penguin,increasing eutrophication.As a result,picoplanktonic abundances were higher,and the community structure shifts to a largely heterotrophic bacteria dominated one.These results suggest that these communities could act as sentinels to environmental changes,anticipating a future with mostly hypertrophic ponds.

A new look at the first dinosaur discovered in Antarctica:reappraisal of Antarctopelta oliveroi(Ankylosauria:Parankylosauria)

The first dinosaur discovered in the Antarctic continent was the ankylosaur Antarctopelta oliveroi in the 1980s.Nevertheless,since then several hypotheses of phylogenetical relationships have been proposed because these have been depended on how the skeletal remains have been interpreted.The main obstacle for clarifying its phylogenetic position is that many portions of the skeleton remain unknown,in addition to the presence of unknown characters in typical ankylosaurs.Considered an ankylosaurid,nodosaurid,or even a chimaera,a recent proposal based on mostly complete material of a new ankylosaur from Chilean Patagonia provided support for a novel phylogenetic hypothesis:Antarctopelta and other southern ankylosaurs are an early branching clade,the Parankylosauria,whose origin probably dates to the Late Jurassic.In the light of this new view,a redescription of the available skeletal remains is provided together with a new reconstruction of the first Antarctic dinosaur known to the science community.

The global Antarctic Research event,SCAR 2024

We are pleased to announce that“The 11th SCAR Open Science Conference”will take place in Pucón,Chile from 19-23 August 2024,hosted by the Chilean Antarctic Institute.Detailed information at https://www.scar2024.org/.The 11th SCAR Open Science Conference theme“Antarctic Science:Crossroads for a New Hope”,recognizes the importance of Antarctica as a unique and fragile ecosystem.With increasing concerns about climate change and its impact on the polar regions,this theme aims to highlight the significance of Antarctic research in shaping our understanding of global environmental challenges.By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange,the SCAR Open Science conference hopes to inspire new solutions and a renewed sense of hope for the future of our planet.